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Simple Questions
1. What are the main risk management strategies?
The main risk management strategies are:
Avoidance or elimination.
Reduction.
Risk retention – with or without knowledge.
Risk transfer.
Risk sharing.
1. What are the main risk management strategies?
The main risk management strategies are:
Avoidance or elimination.
Reduction.
Risk retention – with or without knowledge.
Risk transfer.
Risk sharing.
3. List the factors that should be considered when choosing control measures.
The factors to be taken into account when choosing control measures are:
Long/short term.
Applicability.
Costs.
Proportionality.
Effectiveness.
Legal requirements/standards.
Competence and training requirements.
4. What is a permit to work?
A permit to work is a formal written document of authority to undertake a specific procedure and is designed to protect personnel working in hazardous areas or activities.
5. Explain how risk assessment should be used to develop a safe system of work.
Risk assessment may be used to develop a safe system of work through:
Analysing the task – identifying the hazards and assessing the risks.
Introducing controls and formulating procedures.
Instructing and training people in the operation of the system.
Monitoring and reviewing the system.
Complex Questions
Question 1.
A maintenance worker was asphyxiated when working in an empty fuel tank. A subsequent investigation found that the worker had been operating without a permit to work.
Outline why a permit to work would be considered necessary in these circumstances. (3)
Outline the possible reasons why the permit-to-work procedure was not followed on this occasion. (7)
Answer
(a) A permit to work would be considered necessary in these circumstances because:
Risk assessment of the work identified its need.
It is a high risk task in a confined space.
Additional hazards might develop as the work progresses therefore the job needs a structured approach.
A permit to work for this type of work could be a legal or national requirement.
(b) Possible reasons why the permit-to-work procedure was not followed on this occasion include:
There was no permit-to-work system available.
The initial risk assessment was inadequate and therefore the potential hazards were not fully understood or identified.
The organisation had a poor health and safety culture and therefore violations of work systems and permits to work were routine.
The permit system was thought to be too bureaucratic and complicated.
There was pressure to complete the work quickly and following the permit prevented this.
There was difficulty organising controls before starting work due to lack of a competent person to authorise the permit.
The controls to be followed were not clear or specific.
Management failed to stress the importance of using a permit in such circumstances and did not communicate this to workers.
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